Social Work and Youth Development Internship in Cape Town

Gain quality exposure and experience at grassroots level while you undertake practical fieldwork with some of the most vulnerable children in Cape Town. This is a very unique and hands-on opportunity which offers insight into the emergency foster care system, while at the same time providing professional support.

WATER UPDATE

Cape Town will not run out of water in 2018, but is still in the midst of a drought. We are encouraging our volunteers to continue saving water and would like to assure you that African Impact has contingency plans in place should the situation change – all volunteers will have sufficient water. Life in Cape Town will continue and the community programs need dedicated volunteers more than ever.

AS AN INTERN, YOU'LL GET TO:

Work alongside South African social workers in an emergency foster care home for children aged 0 – 14.

Learn why the social workers role is of key importance in the African context.

Gain daily exposure to social issues that affect child welfare, covering a myriad of issues from drug, alcohol abuse, health issue of HIV and TB, through to teenage pregnancies.

Be supported by a Personal Development Coach and Academic Trainer to acquire and develop new skills.

Understand key measuring tools for childhood development within a global context.

Understand the process of reunification with families (or foster families) and the support required to ensure the child’s safety and development.

Live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town.

Spend your weekends exploring the city and enjoying all the incredible adventure activities on offer!

Volunteer Reviews

Working with African Impact has been nothing short of an outstanding experience, but working with children who come from challenging backgrounds has been a particular highlight. They are warm, friendly and welcoming and are very much appreciative of the work you do with them. Working on the projects can be demanding and rewarding. Approaching them with an open mind and the ability to adopt to any circumstances will make this experience as amazing as mine has been.”

Shellie, Ireland

“This has has been an incredible experience for me. You are involved and given authority in every step of the impact as you plan the activities for the week and actually lead them with the kids. The people, staff and volunteers, make you feel welcome right when you walk through the door and by the next day you already feel like a part of the family. The overall mission of the organization ensures sustainability so you by the end of your stay you feel like you’ve really made a difference in the lives of others. “

About the Destination

During your stay at the tip of Africa you will be located in Observatory – the city’s most bohemian suburb, a short 10 minute drive from the Cape Town city centre.

The secure property is fully furnished and staffed with a cook and housekeeper, and very close to shops, bars and restaurants. Interns in Cape Town share a room with 2-6 other interns and volunteers and bathrooms are communal. Wifi is available for a small fee as well as access to a small lock-up safe for your valuable items.

Cape Town is hands-down one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so this unique internship destination offers visitors beautiful landscapes, cultural sightseeing opportunities, fantastic leisure and sporting activities and plenty of sunshine for most of the year.

Weekends are usually a good time for tourist activities where you can enjoy the beach during the summer time as well as some really unique adventures such as cage shark diving, paragliding, kite-surfing and taking a wine tasting tour through Cape Town’s beautiful winelands.

As you work and travel in Africa, the people of Cape Town will warm your heart, entertain you and you will discover great diversity in the different communities.

Whether you are an intern looking for work experience, coming for a gap year, or a well-seasoned traveler, this internship in Cape Town promises to leave you a deeper, stronger individual ready for the next adventure.

You will spend 8 – 12 weeks living at African Impact’s program base in Observatory, Cape Town; a sociable shared home with other interns and volunteers. From here you will travel daily to the emergency foster care home, where you will work alongside highly qualified professionals who will eagerly share their wealth of knowledge with you.

Work & Impacts

Childhood Development

Each week, you will meet with the staff and social workers to set up child development plans for each child in their care. You will collate information on new arrivals, set priority task lists, and create action plans. Once these are completed, data will be collected for each child which form parts of tangible assessments on their development.

You will be given the responsibility of setting the best development activities for each child in the foster home. You will play a vital role in easing the communication between social workers and the home itself, ensuring the child’s welfare is at the forefront of importance.

Work & Impacts

Assisting Social Workers

You will have one on one meetings with the care givers, doctors and possible family members of the children in the home.

Since you will have regular involvement in the activities being done with all of the children, you will offer social workers an extra set of eyes on the kids and what may be needed to help them in their personal development.

Social workers will rely on your advice and suggestions – as well as your ideas for new activities – that may help in the child’s development.

Work & Impacts

Professional Development

This is an area we specialise in as we recognise its importance. You will have 3 professional experts to support you as an individual:

1. A senior social worker to add context to your specific interests within this field; this will provide a deeper insight into the history of South Africa, as well as the challenges on the profession and child welfare.

2. A highly qualified Personal Development Coach to work with you through one to one and group discussion. They support you with tools to use throughout your experience and beyond, exploring personal goals and opportunities for your future.

3. Monitoring and Evaluation is the measure of the impact of your work. You will be guided by our Educational Trainer on how to analyze data and translate it into valuable communications.

Fun & Travel

Adventure Activities

You can hike up the magnificent Table Mountain, or take the cable car to the top. Once you’ve soaked in the breath-taking view, you can choose to abseil your way down. Surfing lessons, shark cage diving and sky-diving are also on many tourists’ “bucket lists”, and Cape Town’s mountain ranges make for great mountain-biking too.

Fun & Travel

Sightseeing

Cape Town has many iconic sites which makes for great photograph opportunities. Take a boat trip to Seal Island, visit the celebrated Robben Island and of stand on top of the world-renowned Table Mountain, reaching it either by foot or cable car. A convenient and fun way to see more of what the city has to offer is to take the Hop-on, Hop-off City Tour bus. You will also have a chance to do some shopping and enjoy fine dining at the V&A Waterfront or at one of the many local food markets.

Fun & Travel

Local Activities

The local town of Observatory, where the volunteer and intern house is based, has a buzzing main street with coffee shops, bars and restaurants just a few minutes away. The house is comfortable and a great social gathering place for volunteers and interns – there is always something on the go. It also provides a relaxing environment should you just wish to unwind with a good book or movie in the evenings.

Fun & Travel

Beach And Ocean Adventures

Although the water may be just a little cold, Cape Town has plenty of beautiful beaches to visit, each with its own unique atmosphere. If you are really keen to explore the waters you can dive with the sharks or take a tour to Cape Point Peninsula where you will have a chance to swim with the penguins at Boulders Beach.

Fun & Travel

Wildlife

Cape Town has something for everyone. If you’re not really a city slicker and prefer to discover what nature has to offer, you can experience an African Safari at Aquila Safari – a “Big 5” private game reserve with animals such as the springbok, lion, cape porcupine, olive baboon, leopard, and African elephant.

The Cape Point at the tip of the Cape Peninsula lies within a nature reserve within the Table Mountain National Park which is a World Heritage Site. Cape Point is a nature enthusiast’s paradise with many buck, baboons, Cape Mountain Zebras, birds and a variety of flora and fauna unique to the area.

May 15, 2018

Win a Volunteer Placement with Big Cats and Predators in South Africa

Are you crazy about big cats like we are? If so, enter our weirdest Instagram sweepstake to-date and stand a chance to win a volunteer placement on our Leopard and Predator Research program in South Africa!

May 3, 2018

Take Volunteering to the Next Level: Adventure Coaching

Kimberley Coaching and African Impact have teamed up to provide an adventure coaching service. With Kimberley's help, volunteers will have support coaching whilst they volunteer.

May 3, 2018

Updates and Achievements from our Kruger Projects – Q1 2018

We love sharing with you what our hard-working team of staff and volunteers have achieved in the first quarter of this year for the communities and wildlife living in the Greater Kruger Region of South Africa. A HUGE well done to all!

Destination

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